Donald Neuen, acclaimed choral conductor and instructor, is currently serving his tenth year as Professor of Conducting and Director of Choral Activities at UCLA. At UCLA he conducts the University Chorale, teaches courses in conducting and directs a doctoral program in choral conducting. For twelve years prior to his coming to California, he was on the faculty of the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.
Through his university positions and dozens of summer workshops Neuen has taught hundreds of conductors from around the world. He is widely regarded as an expert in the field of choral methods and conducting technique. Along with the videos in the Choral Excellence Series his work is documented in the recently released collegiate textbook, Choral Concepts.
Neuen is in his fifth season with the Angeles Chorale as Artistic Director and Conductor and serves as Director of the Cathedral Choir at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove where services are televised internationally every week. He has been a member of the Robert Shaw Chorale, Assistant Conductor for Mr. Shaw, and Director of Choral Activities for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. His extensive choral and orchestral guest-conducting activities have taken him to Europe, Asia, Mexico, Canada, and nearly every state in the Union.
The Choral Excellence Series - Choral Techniques and Methods
The Choral Techniques and Methods Series is designed to help choral directors at any level improve the quality of their rehearsal and performances by addressing some of the key issues of this complex art form. After nearly 50 years of conducting choirs of every type, style, age group and size, Donald Neuen has compiled the information presented in the these DVDs. Whether you are an experienced conductor looking for some new concepts, or are jut beginning to work with choirs, The Choral Techniques and Methods Series will provide the tools that will become an integral component of your conducting arsenal.
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Sound How do we develop our concept of fine singing? How do we define our fine singing sound Energy The importance of energy in the choral setting An exercise to teach energy Developing energy in slow soft passages How do we define and teach beauty? Placement The imagery of proper vocal placement An exercise to teach placement |
In the first DVD in the 'Choral Techniques and Methods Series,' Donald Neuen discusses sound and tone quality as well as vitality. In order to teach and lead a choir successfully you must know what to teach, how to teach it, and how to inspire people to learn what you have to offer. Here, Donald Neuen gives you the necessary foundation upon which your future teaching will rest.
| 3028 DVD $17.95 |
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Sopranos A frosting on a rich cake of altos, tenors and basses Rules for singing above the staff Dealing with vibrato problems Altos Addressing the break in the female voice An exercise for bringing the top voice down Additional alto concepts Tenors The most fragile musical instrument Developing head-tone from falsetto Basses Encouraging a lyrical bass sound |
Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Bsses all have different needs and problems that must be carefully addressed. Volume two in the 'Choral Techniques and Methods Series addresses these issues. This DVD helps you to understand the break in the female voice, nurture young tenors, correct vibrato problems and much more.
| 3029 DVD $17.95 |
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Introduction The color of language Create a spectrum of sound with language Vowel formation A system any choir can master Examples of vowel formations The difference between dark and bright vowels The warmth of 'oo' Teaching dark and bright vowels Vowel exercises Adding warmth of 'oo' to 'ee' Dark vowel exercises one and two Vowels and vocal sound |
In the third DVD in the 'Choral Techniques and Methods Series,' Donald Neuen starts a discussion of language and sound. he then continues with a series of concepts and exercises that will help your choir master the essential components of singing. You learn how to help your singers become partners in the pursuit of the highest standards of artistic excellence, the standards for which the greatest performing artists strive.
| 3030 DVD $17.95 |
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Introduction Words What separates the singer from the other musicians Diction Understandability, meaning and color Inflection Natural syllable and word inflection Consonants Voiced and voiceless consonants Percussive consonants Dealing with 'm' and 'n' Of English diction The power of words |
While instrumentalists and singers must be solid technicians with an understanding of the methods required for their respective instruments, and both should have an understanding of theory, form, musicology and so forth, it is the singer who needs to be a dreamtic actor because of the use of words. In the fourth DVD in the 'Choral Techniques and Methods Series,' you will learn how to teach your choir to deliver text with clear diction, meaning and color.
| 3031 DVD $17.95 |
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Forward motion Bringing the rhythm of music to life Phrasing Establishing logical note-groupings Off-beat emphasis Using rhythm to move the music forward Markings Marking forward motion in our scores Specific rhythms The function of rhythms in context Rhythmic interest A common thread in all great performances |
The focus is on bringing the rhythm of your music to life. Volume five of the 'Choral Techniques and Methods Series' will teach you and your choir how to find and mark instances of forward motion in your scores. You will learn how rhythmic interest and the textual emphasis taught in video four go hand in hand. Adiitionally you will learn how rhythmic interest and forward motion are common threads in all great performances. Your singers will find all of the shows in this series to be clarifying and insightful. By learning the valuable information peresented in them, the members of your chorus will share a common vocabulary.
| 3032 DVD $17.95 |
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Energy Beauty And PLacement Indivual Section Characteristics A Unified Approach To Vowel Formation The Power Of words Rhythmic Interest And Forward Motion Additional Concepts |
The Choral Techniques and Methods Series is designed to help choral directors at any level improve the quality of their rehearsal and performances by addressing some of the key issues of this complex art form. This is book is based on the Donald Neuen Series and is dedicated specifically to helping singers improve and enhance their understanding of the choral arts, whether in a school, community, or church choir. Singers at any level will find this manual a useful and effective tool.
| 6414 BOOK $6.95 |
Donald Neuen's lecture and demonstrations demystify the complex art of conducting and present clear explanations of why some things work and others don't. The information on these DVDs is designed to quickly and clearly address the key elements of this form and help you establish clear, meaningful conducting patterns, eliminate bad habits, communicate clearly with any ensemble, inspire singers to perform better, add interest and variety to your beat patterns, use your left hand efficiently and much more. These DVDs can dramatically improve your conducting technique and give you the confidence to stand in front of any ensemble and lead it effectively.
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In this first volume of Donald Neuen's extraordinary series of video-based classes on conducting, this veteran choral conductor and teacher approaches conducting as a high art, to be mastered as any musical instrument. The baton itself is addressed as an instrument, with detailed commentary on different ways of holding it and using it most effectively to communicate with your ensemble. He also discusses when not to use a baton, and how to use your body language to maximum effect. If you take your conducting seriously and want to "sit at the feet of the master," this is what you've been looking for. Furthermore, the high quality of the audio and video production of these products is equal to their superb content!
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Volume 2 of Artistic Musical Conducting continues the discussion of conducting beat patterns and styles, from the basics to more complex issues such as fermatas, preparatory beats, and cueing. Any musician who is ready to step onto the podium will be well served by Donald Neuen's clear, logical, natural examples and demonstrations. This and his other DVDs will prepare you to stand in front of any ensemble, whether instrumental or choral, and feel confident that your conducting is clear, effective, and in the best possible service to the music!
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